In Venetian, “barcaruola” translates to “boatman’s song.” “Venetian” is more than a dialect of Italian — it’s actually a separate Romance language spoken by some 5 million Italians. Though barcarolles originated as gondoliers’ songs, by the 18th century, Italian composers such as Giuseppe Verdi (in the opera “I due Foscari”) and Gioachino Rossini (“Otello”) were introducing the style to audiences, as were international composers including the German Carl Maria von Weber (“Oberon”) and the German French Jacques Offenbach (“Les Contes d’Hoffmann”). English speakers flattened the many vowels of the Venetian word “barcaruola” into the easier-to-pronounce “barcarolle.” Traditional barcarolles are sung in a mid-tempo 6/8 meter to match the gondolier’s relaxed paddling rhythm. Some well-known pop songs in 6/8 time include Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose,” and Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”